Chapter 1327: Upheaval (II)

Li Chengqi then turned to look at Cui Jueyin and said through tears, "May I ask, Dharma Protector Cui, since you exchanged techniques with the enemy, whether their Immortal Foundation was refined and whether their spell arts were profound? There must be a difference in level. If they were from some miscellaneous lineage, they would never have been a match for you! To be able to escape from your hands without leaving any trace, it must be that South Chou Waters lineage across the river!"

Li Chengqi's hatred was immense. His daughter Li Xingsai's death years ago had also been connected to the Capital Immortal Dao, and now Li Zhouyang had been added to the list. How could this not make him gnash his teeth in fury?

Though he was usually stern and eccentric, his mind was no slower than others. He immediately grasped the crux of the matter, asking exactly what Li Jiangqian and Li Xuanxuan both wished to know.

Cui Jueyin sighed. "This person's cultivation technique was very refined and must belong to a well known lineage. His spell arts were no weaker than those of the Cui Family. Unfortunately, his cultivation was insufficient, and he only managed to escape by relying on those few powerful talismans."

Now, it was as if the words Capital Immortal Dao were practically written across this person's face.

Li Jiangqian sighed inwardly. Not everyone knew about the matters in Jiangbei. From Li Chengqi's perspective, this incident could only have been carried out by the Capital Immortal Dao. However, Cui Jueyin and the others knew that the two sides had a tacit understanding in private. Li Jiangqian was hard pressed to believe that Guan Gongxiao would suddenly go mad and scheme against them at such a moment.

Guan Gongxiao knows when to bend and when to stand firm, but he is certainly not the sort to lose sight of the bigger picture, nor would he do something like this for petty, immediate gain...

He glanced at Cui Jueyin. Dharma Protector Cui was clearly at a loss, unsure how to speak of the matter. Li Jiangqian pondered briefly, then heard Li Xuanxuan let out a long breath. Leaning on his cane and tapping it against the ground, the old elder straightened and said in a hoarse voice, "Ninth, our family and the Capital Immortal Dao are locked in a standoff in the north, but it is only a standoff. Both sides fear consequences too much to dare truly make a move. Yet now such an incident has suddenly occurred, with South Chou Waters displayed without the slightest concealment. How do we know it is not some other family, coveting the situation, secretly fanning the flames? They may be hoping our family and the opposite shore will fight to the death so they may reap the fisherman's gain. That would only bring pain to our kin and joy to our enemies.

"South Chou Waters is indeed a profound technique and a symbol of the Capital Immortal Dao and the Lingu Family, but that does not mean others cannot obtain it. If the opposite shore truly had such capability, why would they not strike from behind during the great battle on the river instead of twisting around to kill a mere Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator? Was it solely to disgust our family?"

These two remarks had a strong effect. Li Chengqi's expression changed as doubt flashed across his face. But the anger in his eyes had yet to fade. Prostrating himself on the ground, he said respectfully, "The elder is right. This junior was rash. However, with so many eyes watching the eastern shore, not responding after such an event occurring in full view of all would be extremely bad."

Li Chengqi was correct. The Li Family's Purple Mansion Realm presence was already on thin ground. If they suddenly suffered such a loss, with a powerful direct lineage elder killed, and the entire family showed no reaction, their prestige would surely be damaged.

However, Li Jiangqian merely frowned and looked at Li Zhoufang, asking softly, "Eldest uncle, may I ask what delayed you for an hour?"

Li Zhoufang wiped away his tears. He no longer cared about appearances as he replied, "It was originally a disgraceful matter, but at this point it must be said. I brought a concubine to the eastern shore and discovered signs of her infidelity. In my rage, I spent an hour dragging out the adulterer... Because of this... because of this..."

"I understand." Only then did Li Jiangqian withdraw his gaze and change the subject, "Did the elder leave behind any relics? And how should the ancestral rites be arranged? Please have Qingdu handle these matters first. I will send people to inquire. There may be an answer. Great uncle, please be at ease. This matter will not be let go so easily, but to vent our anger, we must first find the true culprit.

"As for the eastern shore, I will have Chen Yang make a trip to search for traces."

Li Zhoufang immediately kowtowed in thanks, tears streaming endlessly down his face. Li Chengqi, however, was not so easily appeased. Having heard no definite timeframe, he said nothing, merely raising his head. After receiving a glance from Li Minggong, he could only kowtow twice more and lead Li Zhoufang away.

Li Jiangqian ordered the hall doors closed. His expression darkened at once as he growled, "Which family has such audacity? At a time like this, to still dare stir up such trouble in the Wilderness! Do they truly hate our family to the point of gnashing their teeth..."

Li Minggong's expression likewise turned cold as she replied, "I think the eastern shore is also problematic. Zhouyang happened to run into them, which shows that his whereabouts were exposed as well."

"It was unavoidable!" Li Xuanxuan shook his head and replied, "Our own Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were stationed by the river, so there was naturally no need to hide their whereabouts. Who could have imagined a group of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were concealing themselves and would suddenly appear in the mountains?

"At present, the best course is still to search the eastern shore and communicate with the Capital Immortal Dao."

Li Jiangqian pondered for a few breaths, then asked, "Why must we do that? I believe the elder's earlier words were more accurate. Which family is hoping our family and the Capital Immortal Dao will fight more fiercely, or rather, is unwilling to see our family and the Capital Immortal Dao ease tensions in secret..."

Li Minggong sighed and said, "Following this line of thought, whether it is Grace Covenant Gate, Xuanmiao Temple, or even Chengyun Gate, all are possible."

Li Jiangqian remained silent, unease rising in his heart,

Where are Daoist Master Tinglan and Daoist Master Qiuhu? It would be one thing if there were no arrangements for the qi cultivated by Fei Qingya, but now that such a group has stirred up trouble in the Wilderness, there is still no reaction at all.

As far as he knew, Ning Wan was at Lake Xian, so it was understandable that she could not spare a hand. Yet even Tinglan had vanished. The matters in Jiangbei had likely shifted, causing this Purple Mansion Realm cultivator to move even farther north.

Li Jiangqian let out a heavy sigh and continued, "Furthermore, I fear there was a divine ability involved in this matter. Eldest uncle surviving by sheer coincidence, could it be that the instigator did not wish to involve Purple Smoke Gate? If that is the case, then this becomes far too troublesome!"

"Unlikely." Li Xuanxuan stroked his beard and shook his head, sighing repeatedly as he replied, "You are not aware of this matter, but I am. It was not something of one or two days. It was deliberate and meant to catch someone in the act. That is why he secretly had his brother go in his place all along, while he hid in the dark to observe. A Purple Mansion Realm cultivator has no need to lay out such a prolonged scheme. Moreover, the influence began from the lake. There is no such logic to it. In my view, it was truly... fortune!"

Li Jiangqian's expression instead eased considerably, and he nodded, saying, "Then I have some confidence. Putting everything together, it does not seem like Chengyun Gate or Xuanmiao Temple. They do not have such intentions at present. If one truly considers it, these two families may well see that our family and the Capital Immortal Dao are putting on an act. In that case, such a move would be nothing but courting trouble and needlessly smearing oneself.

"As for Grace Covenant Gate, Daoist Master Zhugong and Daoist Master Tinglan are close friends. Although she governs with leniency, she would not be lenient to this extent. The devil cultivators under her command would never possess such loyalty as to fan these flames."

He turned and drew out a sheet of letter paper, speaking solemnly, "In this matter, I think we should make inquiries toward the Eastern Sea."

Before Li Jiangqian could elaborate, another burst of noisy footsteps rang out. He had no choice but to open the hall doors and let them in. The old man Qu Buzhi hurried to the front, his face filled with shock and confusion, and reported, "Reporting to the family head and to all the lords. Locust Soul Hall has crossed the Brahma Cloud territory and begun fighting with the Golden Tang Gate!"

Li Jiangqian was not surprised at all. He stepped down from the platform and confirmed, "Golden Tang Gate?"

"Precisely!"

Li Jiangqian’s brows rose as he asked, "When did this news arrive?"

"It is said to have been last night."

Li Minggong held a very poor impression of Golden Tang Gate. She should have been pleased with this news, yet with the loss of a direct lineage member in his own family, she found little interest and merely shook her head as she said, "They deserve it. Back then, Golden Tang Gate was extremely arrogant in Jiangbei, and now this day has come. Their entire immortal gate only has a handful of people left; they likely cannot contend with a ramshackle Locust Soul Hall. What pretext did they use?"

Qu Buzhi hurriedly replied, "To unify the White River Stream region. It is said that the Golden Feather Sect sent representatives not long after Locust Soul Hall was established, acknowledged its rule in Jiangbei, and even stated that the Three Rivers region belonged to Locust Soul Hall.

"Yet the Golden Tang Gate also holds territory in White River Stream. Daoist Bai used this matter to provoke them. Originally, those lands were nothing significant. After all, the Golden Tang Gate has sealed its mountain now, with only a few minor peaks under it. Giving them up would have been fine.

"But beyond handing over those territories, Locust Soul Hall also demanded the nearby spirit ore mines. The Situ Family has no other livelihood now and survives solely on those, so naturally they refused."

Li Jiangqian let out a breath of relief and shook his head inwardly,

I thought there would not be enough time. I did not expect to underestimate Daoist Bai's greed. Now he can be said to have fate upon him. No Purple Mansion Realm cultivator would need to use divine abilities to lure him. It is purely his own boundless avarice...

"What did the Golden Feather Sect say on their end?"

Qu Buzhi hurriedly replied, "Ever since Daoist Master Tianhuo personally appeared, seized the Golden Tang Gate's treasures, and showed disdain toward the people of the Golden Tang Gate, rumors in Jiangbei have faded. The cultivators of the Golden Tang Gate have been consumed by shame and resentment and no longer dare speak of the Golden Feather Sect as friendly. Daoist Bai likely saw this and thus boldly advanced westward."

Only then did Li Jiangqian nod again. So many things had happened in the span of a single day. He rubbed his temples and suddenly asked, "Golden Tang Gate still has a Situ Ku... He is in our family's dungeon."

Situ Ku had been imprisoned by the Li Family for many years, mainly under sealed cultivation and soft confinement. In addition, the Ding Family had once been in the Floating South region, and Ding Weizeng had ties with Situ Ku. Thus, relying on this connection, the old man's days were fairly comfortable.

The Golden Tang Gate has already been abandoned by the Golden Feather Sect. After all, it did their dirty work for so many years that both Jiangnan and Jiangbei know that the Golden Tang name is foul and bloody. Once it clashes with Locust Soul Hall, there will be no good ending.

But such a clash buys time for a True Monarch to grow. Once those few mineral veins are lost as well, the Situ Family will retreat to the mountains, and the flourishing Locust Soul Hall will truly take center stage.

As for the Situ Family riding the momentum of a True Monarch, that possibility was slim. Whether in Jiangbei or Jiangnan, the number of Dao lineages the Situ Family had offended could not be counted on one hand, and the Purple Mansion Realm powers they had angered were even more numerous. Their reputation was foul, and everyone merely watched in silence.

At this moment, when Li Jiangqian thought of Situ Ku, he likewise had no good intentions. The old man was weak, greedy, and extremely easy to control. The key point was that, placed within the current Golden Tang Gate, his standing was high enough.

Mount Tangdao has a grand formation, and Locust Soul Hall is unlikely to breach it. In the end, it will most likely result in sealed isolation. Once this matter is over, Situ Ku will count as an important figure. He will ultimately be a useful chess piece.